The Ashes: Botham backs England to whitewash Oz

London: Former England skipper Ian Botham has said that he is backing England to whitewash Australia for the first time ever in the Ashes this winter.

According to the Mirror, the former skipper believes the host`s lengthy list of injuries will make it easier than ever for England to wipe the floor with their fiercest rivals. Australian skipper Michael Clarke, struggling with fitness himself, will be without a string of first choice bowlers including Victoria`s explosive paceman James Pattinson, left arm quickie Mitchell Starc and Tasmanian Jackson Bird when the first Test begins in at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 21, the report said. Botham said that the Australians were not better than the recent score line suggested and they were rebuilding but they were still struggling with a lot of injuries.